News

Livermore golf pro charged with sexual abuse

Coached children at Las Positas Golf Course

An award-winning Livermore golf pro has been charged with 65 felony counts for allegedly sexually abusing two boys who he had been teaching, authorities said Tuesday.

Andrew Michael Nisbet, 31, who lives in Livermore and worked at the Las Positas Golf Course, was arrested on Saturday and was arraigned in Alameda County Superior Court Tuesday. He's being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

Livermore police said their investigation thus far has disclosed that the suspected sexual abuse occurred in their city between 2009 and 2012.

Police said Nisbet was a coach for children and it is suspected that he sexually assaulted at least several male children between the ages of 12 and 17 years.

Authorities said Nisbet was a highly-regarded junior golf coach who coached many children in junior golf tournaments throughout the state as well as nationally.

Livermore police spokesman Steve Goard said detectives discovered that Nisbet also coached children in Michigan, North Carolina, Mississippi

and Alabama and authorities believe he may have abused boys in those locations as well.

The charges filed against Nisbet Tuesday name two victims but since he was arrested on Saturday a third victim has been located, Goard said.

Livermore police said Las Positas Golf Course officials immediately fired Nisbet after police told them that he had been arrested.

Among the charges against Nisbet are oral copulation by force, oral copulation of a person under the age of 16, oral copulation of a person

under age 18, lewd and lascivious acts with a child age 14 or 15 years, distribution or exhibition of lewd material to a minor and arranging a meeting with a minor for the purpose of engaging in lewd and lascivious behavior.

Livermore police said their investigation into the alleged sexual abuse is ongoing and they encourage parents to speak with their children if they had contact with Nisbet.

Goard said police began investigating Nisbet about two weeks ago when the first victim came forward to allege that Nisbet had sexually abused him.

The news that Nisbet has been charged comes only a day after the PGA's Northern California Section announced that it has given him its 2013 Junior Golf Leader Award "for his dedication and leadership in developing a wealth of exciting and educational golf programs for juniors."

In its news release about the award, the PGA quoted Nisbet as saying, "Junior Golf is something that I am extremely passionate about."

Posted by caroline redbrook
a resident of another community
on Dec 13, 2013 at 8:02 am

Crimes against children are so heinous that accused pedophiles like this gold coach, Sylvain Kustyan, Jerry Sandusky, etc. must be apprehended before they have years to continue to destroy young lives. Sandusky and this golf pro are now safely behind bars. But unfortunately, Kustyan, who has been formally charged with two counts each of 1st Degree Sodomy and Sexual Abuse of a ten-year-old little boy, fled to avoid imminent arrest. Kustyan, formerly of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Hermin/ Mazingarbe, France, as an English teacher, has led numerous groups of schoolchildren on trips to the US, the UK and Ireland. Pedophiles condemn their victims to a lifetime of emotional and psychological trauma and often permanent physical ailments as well. Since the average pedophile has 300 different victims in their lifetime and since the recidivism rate among pedophiles is virtually 100% and since there is no effective treatment and no known cure they must be stopped ASAP!

Posted by Sicko
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Dec 15, 2013 at 9:17 am

Innocent until proven guilty?? Not when there are 65 felony counts!!! They have a tight case, this is not just 1 kid but many! This guy is definitely a sicko perv, so glad he's behind bars and let's hope he stays there until his death.

At a time when these children would be developing confidence and building self-esteem, they were betrayed, manipulated and exploited! In their own time, they have managed to overcome the mental anguish and emotional turmoil and brought this pedophile out from his hiding place--a very trusting community. It certainly doesn't matter how many acts were committed or how long it took to bring this forward!
What matters is that these courageous young men, with remarkable coping skills, came forward to put an end to this abuse and have prevented more children from being victimized!
In recognizing that the impact of this is far reaching--the victims, their parents and siblings, extended family,close friends and the greater community. May you find power and peace in moving forward and restoring normalcy.
My thoughts and prayers are also with the young men who have not been able to come forward and the pain and anguish they may be experiencing living with their secret.

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